The recommendations will go to Gov. Ritter, but some critics say they don't go far enough.

A governor-appointed panel today will discuss 13 recommendations intended to improve education in Colorado - such as providing full-day kindergarten, paying teachers for their performance and making it easier for high school students to earn college credit.

The recommendations from five subcommittees on Gov. Bill Ritter's P-20 Education Coordinating Council will be discussed in Fort Morgan before being sent to the governor Nov. 27.

Ritter would then decide which issues to present for legislation next session.

"We have an urgent situation ahead of us," said Lt. Gov. Barbara O'Brien, who is on the council formed to produce statewide education reform.

"Countries are passing us. We have to compete now on a global stage, and we have to rise to that level," O'Brien said. "I'm completely convinced we can do it, but we have to make this a priority."

Ritter set a goal to cut the state's dropout rate in half, double the number of college degrees and close the achievement gap, all by 2020.

The council's goal is to align Colorado's education systems from preschool to grad school so they produce a highly skilled and well-educated workforce for the 21st century.

But some critics say the council is not going far enough with education reform.

Rep. Rob Witwer, R-Jefferson County, is frustrated that the council's 54 pages of recommendations contain no mention of strengthening graduation requirements for high schoolers.

Advertisement

"Forty-five other states have some form of core curriculum or graduation standards. I don't see that in this document," Witwer said.

The P-20 recommendations include paying for full-day kindergarten for all children whose parents choose to enroll them, at an estimated long- term cost of $229.5 million a year. But the committee would like to roll the program out to the poorest children first, at a cost of $69.2 million a year.

Other recommendations aim to assist educators and the state in better tracking students. One of the noteworthy data efforts would create a unified system for counselors and educators to track attendance patterns, academic performance and family involvement with state agencies that would have an impact on student performance - such as social services or corrections.

And Colorado 11th-graders could be given a series of pre-collegiate tests as a means of gauging their readiness for college or the workforce.

Dubbed the Explore, Plan and Act System, it would provide "critical college and work readiness information to students, parents and educators that is not presently available" through state tests.

Some highlights of the group's recommendations

The P-20 recommendations include:

Paying for full-day kindergarten for all children whose parents choose to enroll them, at an estimated long-term cost of $229.5 million a year. But the committee would like to roll the program out to the poorest children first, at a cost of $69.2 million a year.

Increasing state school spending by an unspecified amount and developing "alternative compensation systems" to boost teacher pay and attract and retain quality educators; setting aside $10 million in "seed funding."

Producing a report on best practices for preschool through third-grade curriculum.

Expanding the Colorado Preschool and Kindergarten Program until waiting lists for 3- and 4-year-olds are wiped out, at a cost of more than $27.3 million.

Modifying "concurrent enrollment" policies to expand access to programs for high school students who wish to earn college credit.

Lockheed says object part of 'sensor technology' testing that ended ThursdayWhat the heck is that thing? It's fair to assume that question was on the minds of many people who traveled along Colo. 128 south of Boulder this week if they happened to catch a glimpse of what appeared to be a large, silver projectile perched alongside the highway and pointed north toward town.

PARIS (AP) — Bye, New York! Ciao, Milan! Bonjour, Paris! The world's largest traveling circus of fashion editors, models, buyers and journalists has descended on the French capital, clutching their metro maps and city guides, to cap the ready-to-wear fashion season. Full Story